Timer



Feb. 22, 1966 F. R. BECK ETAL 3,236,123

TIMER Filed Feb. 18, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet l NT2 f my o@ :L o

@www /A INVENTOR. FREDERICK R. BECK 'En-l JAMES MTHoRHeBe Y ym/HJ ATToRNaY Feb. 22, 1966 F. R. BECK ETAL. 3,236,123

TIMER Filed Feb. 1s, 1953 K 5 sheets4sheet 2 Fla?.

INVENTOR FREbEmcK RBECK BY JAMES MTHQR BERY f/ N- /u/ ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1966 F. R. BECK ETAL 3,236,123

TIMER Flled Feb. 1S, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 s g s@ E, g g Smmmm i d f a i 2 lmmmmmmmmmmmm v 2m m o s l a? Q Q Q m Fmmmmmza BY Ames M.T oRNeRY u! ATTORNEY United States Patent Oiiice 3,236,123 Patented Feb. 22, 1966 3,236,123 TIMER Frederick R. Beck, Glen Ellyn, yand James M. Thornbery, Glenview, Ill., assignors to Controls Company of America, Melrose Park, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 259,156 16 Claims. (Cl. 74-813) This invention relates to timers and, more particularly, to the type of timer known as pin set timers.

In a pin set timer a number of pins are mounted for selective movement into position for engaging a member rotatable with the timer cam bank to thereby initially position the timer for one of several programs. The rotatable member, or plate, is manually rotated (with corresponding rotation of the timer cam bank) until it is engaged by the selected pin whereupon it is held against further rotation thereby locating the starting point for the particular selected operational program. With the starting point located the apparatus is activated and' the selected operational program carried out under control of the pin set timer.

Pin set timers are used in conjunction with timers having a plurality of available programs and facilitate the accurate location of the desired starting point for any one of the programs. The first such mechanism is `shown in Patent No. 2,973,672 and in that arrangement actuation of any one of the available selector buttons would act to push a pin for engagement with a corresponding lug or aperture in a plate rotatable with the timing cam. The nature of that construction was such as to restrict the freedom of choice in the arrangement of the selector buttons and the distance of the selector buttons from the axis of the timer. Patent No. 3,074,282 shows another form of pin set mechanism allowing the push buttons to be located in a line and is further differentiated from the first patent in that only one pin is employed and this pin rotates with the timing cam. Actuation of a push button serves to position the proper stopping hole or lug for engagement by this pin. The holes or lugs are carried by a plate which is not rotatable `but is movable through actuation of the push buttons. This patent made possible a different arrangement of push buttons and a more uniform actuating force for the push buttons, but represented a rather costly solution to the problem. Furthermore, the possible arrangements of the push buttons were still somewhat confining if any reasonable degree of manufacturing economy was to be realized.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a pin set timer which can be manufactured at lower costs than either of the prior arrangements while permitting virtually any arrangement of the push buttons and obtaining a uniform actuating force of the desired magnitude.

These timers are generally fabricated as a timer subassembly and a pin set sub-assembly which are then brought together and in the prior designs some d'iculty was experienced in properly orienting one with respect to the other in the iinal assembly and this is particularly true with respect to the mechanism operative at the conclusion of any program to reposition the movable pin or plate for engagement with or by the stationary member in accordance with the previously selected program. A further object of this invention then is to improve upon the construction so as to permit accurate alignment of the two sub-assemblies and obviate the problems just mentioned.

A further object is to provide a simplified construction of a pin set timer which is readily converted to pro-vide the washing machine manufacturer a choice of suds return or standard programming with the same timer. This not only simplifies the inventory problems but eld repair or replacement as well.

While the manner in which the second' and third of the above objects are attained is best uderstood after a detailed consideration of the present construction the attainment of the first object can be broadly understood when it is appreciated that actuation of any of the push buttons will act to resiliently set a corresponding pin with the force being applied to the pin through a simple straight section of music wire. The wire serves as the spring and the diameter of wire employed is selected in accordance with the distance the wire must reach between the button and the pin. Since this wire is available in a wide range of diameters it is possible to select wire sizes to achieve virtually uniform actuating forces on the buttons even though they are various distances from the axis of the timer or from the pins. The wire is relatively inexpensive and simple to fabricate for this purpose and results in a very low cost construction which actually represents an improvement over the prior designs.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out in, or be apparent from the specification and claims, as will obvious modications of the embodiment shown in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a timer;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the timer;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the selector mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a partial view of the selector mechanism illustrating the actuated and unactuated positions of the wires;

FIG. 5 is a partial section taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a view taken generally along lines 6 6 of FIG. 2.

The pin set timer includes the pin set mechanism 10 and a conventional timer sub-assembly 11 located to the rear of the pin set mechanism. Since the particular arrangement or type of timer has no bearing on the present invention it has not been shown in detail but includes a rotatable arbor 13 carrying a plurality of cams 12 which sequentially operate the various switches (not shown) for control of the functions of the machine on which the timer is mounted. The `arbor may be rotated by timer motor 15 or may be manually rotated by means of shaft 16 connected to and rotating with the arbor. The shaft is also axially slidable and in many timers this axial movement is employed to Iactuate `a line switch (not shown) controlling power to the timer. In the present arrangement this shaft carries a xed hub 18 which, in turn, is rotatable in Ithe front plate 19 of the timer sub-assembly, the front plate being in turn connected to frame 14 which is also the main support of the pin set mechanism. The hub carries a disc 24 which will rotate with the timer and move axially as the shaft is moved axially. In the out position the line switch would be tie-energized and the disc would be positioned so as to be engageable by whichever of the pins 28 of pin set mechanism 10 has been selected. When the shaft is moved in or towards the rear, after having located the desired starting point, the disc is disengaged from the pin so as to allow the motor to rotate the cam bank, The present invention is not, however, limited to this type of timer and can be applied with equal facility to those timers having face cams for actuating switches or combinations of face cams and a cam bank. The pin set mechanism is employed to accurately locate the correct starting point for one of a plurality of programs available on the timer. With many appliances the number of available programs has increased to such a point that the end of one program and the start -of another program are ltightly spaced in terms `gagement with the disc holes.

of angular movement of the timer cam and, thus, without the aid of a pin set mechanism or the like the user would have to locate the starting point within, say, six degrees of rotational movement and this is not considered practical in home appliances. With the aid of the pin set mechanism any of the push buttons may be actuated to select the desired program and knob 17 carried by the shaft is then manually rotated until the pin engages and stops the disc at which time the timer is positioned for proper starting of the selected program. The knob is then depressed t-o -put the timer into operation and the pin set mechanism is no longer a factor in the operation of the timer.

More particularly, the pin set mechanism includes a plurality of pins 28 supported and guided by parallel plates 32, 34 carried by the frame on posts 36. The pins are supported for axial movement relative to disc 24 so as to be movable into and out of the path of rotation of the disc. When any pin is set it is resiliently urged against the disc so it will drop into the proper hole of the various holes 38 provided on and relatively angularly and radially spaced about the rotational axis of the disc with each corresponding to a particular program starting point so that upon engagement by a selected pin the starting point for a particular cycle is positively located. It will be appreciated that the pin engaging means can take forms other than apertures 38 (such as tabs or the like), the apertures being preferred as they can be readily fabricated and accurately positioned.

The pins 28 are actuated by depressing one of push bars 40, in FIG. 1, that furthest to the left is shown in its actuated state, to bend or load a corresponding wire actuator 42. Each of the wire actuators 42 is connected to the timer frame 14 by a looped end 44 which engages a tab 46 formed on the timer frame. The free end 48 of each wire extends through an aperture in a pin 28. Each push bar has two slots 50-50 and each of the Wire actuators extends through one of the slots so that the Wire will be displaced in response to movement of the push bar. A return spring 52, seated between the frame and a shoulder 54 on each of the push bars, biases each push bar to an out position whereby the wire actuators are bowed and stressed (as illustrated in full lines in FIG. 4) to hold the corresponding pin retracted so it cannot engage disc 24, When a push bar is depressed it moves its wire actuator to the dotted line position of FIG. 4 biasing the pin against disc 24 (assuming the disc is out) for engagement with the holes 38 which will line up with the pin as the disc is manually rotated. The music wire actuators provide :both the connection between the push bars and the pins and the force biasing the pins into en- Each push bar includes a hook portion 56 which is engageable with a suitable latch mechanism (not shown) of the well known type which latches the actuated push bar while releasing a previously actuated bar.

When a particular program is to be selected, the push bar corresponding to that program is depressed to move its wire actuator to a position biasing one of the pins 28 against disc 24. Disc 24 is rotated by the knob 17 and the selected pin rides on the face of the disc until it registers with the particular |hole 38 in the disc which corresponds to the starting point for the program. Upon registry of the pin with the hole, the pin is driven into the hole by the stressed wire and locks the disc against further rotation thereby positively locating the starting point for the desired cycle. With the starting point located, the control shaft is moved axially inward to actuate a line switch (not shown) to initiate the program. The inward movement of shaft 16 moves disc 24 to its dotted line position of FIG. 4 and disengages the disc from the selected pin to free the cam bank for motor driven movement.

Music Wire is used for the wire actuators 42 and gives be discussed more fully hereinafter.

a wide range of available actuating forces merely through the selection of wire diameters. Therefore, a uniform actuating pressure can be provided on all of the push bars (which are provided with suitable buttons 41 for linger actuation) through the simple expedient of varying the diameter of the music wire used with the push bars. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, by increasing the diameter of the wires from the two innermost pins adjacent the control shaft to the outermost pins, i.e. by' increasing wire diameter as wire length increases, the force can be kept practically constant. Accordingly the physical characteristics of the wires are varied in accordance with the distance they must reach to engage the pins and it is conceivable that expedients other than varying wire diameter could be employed to achieve the same end, uniform actuating pressure, and without departure from the spirit or scope of this invention. The use o-f straight lengths of music wire is preferred as music wire lends itself particularly well to this application and provides for selection of actuating pressures and maintaining uniform actuating pressures throughout the various stations without increasing the complexity of fabrication and assembly. It will also be appreciated that relative arrangements of the pin and the holes in rotatable disc 24 other than that illustrated in the drawings can be utilized without departing from the scope of this invention.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, a retaining spring 23 suitably supported in fixed relation with respect to control shaft 16 is arranged for cooperation With grooves 25 and 27 in hub 18 to hold the control shaft, and correspondingly disc 24, in either of its two positions While providing a detent action and feel.

Before the next program can be selected rotatable disc 24 must be returned to the full line position of FIG. 4. This can be accomplished manually by withdrawing shaft 16, but means is preferably provided for automatically effecting this return motion to insure proper operation. More particularly, the locating disc 24 is provided with tabs 58 and 60 turned towards ramp-out disc 62 positioned in an opening 64 provided in frame 14. The timer front plate 19 is connected to the frame by screws 68 which extend through elongated slots 70 in the frame to permit adjustable movement relative to the frame as will Ramp-out disc 62 includes a pair of pins 72 extending through slots 74 in ramp-out disc 62. Spring washers 76 engage the molded posts and hold the ramp-out disc to the adjusting plate. A plurality of equi-angularly spaced tabs 78 are provided on the frame 14 and register with angularly spaced notches 80 in the ramp-out disc to hold the ramp-out disc against rotation when it is mounted in the frame. A plurality of angularly spaced and axially extending ramps 82 are provided on the face of the ramp-out disc and are positioned so as to engage either one or the other of bent down tabs 58 and 60. In the operation of the timer, at the end of a program disc 24 comes to rest with the tabs 58 and 60 positioned so that additional rotation from the position in which it has stopped engages one of the ramps 82 with a bent down tab to move disc 24 axially outward to its full line position in FIG. 4 so that a subsequent program can be selected. With this arrangement the user need only remember to push the proper selection button and then turn the knob. The ramp-out action will automatically move the disc to its out position.

Front plate 19 can be moved relative to the timer frame, within the limits of slots 70, to adjust the timing cam sub-assembly with respect to pins 28 to provide for initial orientation of the starting points with respect to the timer. The ramp-out arrangement just described is advantageous in that it permits adjustment of the timer relative to the pins without disturbing the relative position of the ramps With respect to the pins since the ramp disc is xed relative to the frame which carries the pins. Slots 74, provided in timer front plate 19, angularly correspond to slots 70 in the frame and permit equal angular movement of the timer front plate with respect to the ramp-out disc as with respect to the frame. A plurality of pins 81 are provided on the timer front plate and the ramp-out disc is provided with identically spaced notches 83, in assembly the pins mate with the notches to properly locate the ramp-out disc and notches 83 are over-size with respect to the pins to permit the relative movement between the ramp-out disc and the timer front plate. In assembly, the ramp-out disc is positioned in opening 64 in frame 14 and tabs 78 are bent down into slots 80 to tix the ramp-out disc relative to the frame and the pins. Timer front plate 19, having been previously connected to the ramp-out disc by assembly of spring washer 76 onto posts 72, is then adjusted relative to the pins and when the proper orientation with the pins is achieved screws 68 are tightened into slots 70 to position the timer switches relative to the pins.

In the overall operation of a pin set timer including the selector mechanism of this invention, a program is selected by depressing one of the push bars 40. This moves one of the actuator wires 42 to the dotted line position of FIG. 4 to bias its pin toward a position where it can ride on disc 24. Disc 24 is rotated until a hole 38 therein registers with the selected pin whereupon the wire actuator moves the pin into the hole and locks the disc, and correspondingly the cam bank, against further rotation. This positively locates the starting point for the selected program and control shaft 16 is then moved axially inward to actuate the line switch and initiate the particular selected program, the duration `of the program is then determined by the cam bank and switches. At the end of the selected program disc 24 comes to rest with bent down tabs 58 and 60 so positioned relative to ramps 82 that upon manual rotation of disc 24 it will be moved outwardly to its full line position (See FIG. 4) wherein it will be positioned for reengagement with a subsequently selected pin.

To further illustrate the versatility of this particular selector mechanism and with particular reference to FIG. 1 any particular operational program can be eliminated by insertion of a cotter 84 through a particular pin 28 to prevent motion of that pin relative to disc 24. For example, an automatic washer can be either provided with or without a suds saver as desired and the timer of this invention can be used equally Well with either arrangement. Where a suds saver is used cotter 84 is eliminated, but where the suds saver feature is not included in the machine the cotter is inserted into a corresponding pin 28, in this instance, the pin furthest to the right in FIG. 1. An enlarged control knob 43 is then used on the two push bars located furthest to the right in FIG. l, so that the last two push bars are ganged but upon depression of that knob only one of the pins 28 will be moved for engagement with the rotatable disc.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a timer having movable switch control mechanism and a plurality of pin means movable into and out of an operative position for engagement with said switch control mechanism to hold said switch control mechanism against movement and establish starting points for said timer; the combination with said pin means of, selector mechanism for moving said pins means into and out of said operative position and comprising a plurality of wire members pivoted at one point relative to said pin means and extending from the pivot point to and engaging said pin means, and means connected to each of said wire members for moving said wire members to eect movement of said pin means into and out of said operative position.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said wire members `comprise a substantially straight length of wire.

3. In a timer having movable switch control mechanism, a member movable with said switch control mechanism, a plurality of pin means mounted adjacent said movable member for movement transversely of the path of movement thereof and each corresponding to a starting point for said timer, and means provided on and movable with said movable mem-ber for engaging said pin means; the combination with said pin means of, a plurality of straight lengths of wire each anchored relative to said pin means and extending to and engaging one of said pin means, and means engaging each of said wires and mounted for moving said wires to a position biasing said pin means into the path of said pin engaging means for engagement therewith.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the distance Ibetween respective ones of said anchor points and said pin means varies and wherein the diameters of said wires increase as said distance increases.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said member is axially movable to free said member from said pin means for rotation with Said switch control mechanism when one of said starting points is established and including means for returning said member, prior to a subsequent operational cycle, to a position for engagement of said pin engaging means with said pin mea-ns.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said means for returning said member includes at least one projection on said member and also includes at least one projection lixed relative to said pin means and positioned for engagement with said projection on said member to effect said return movement of said member.

7. The combination of claim 5 including a plate for supporting said switch control mechanism, means adjustably mounting said supporting plate for movement relative to said pin means, said means for returning said member comprising projections on said member, a second member lixed relative to said pin means, projections on said second member engageable with said projections on said member for displacing and eiecting the return movement `of the member, and a lost motion connection between said second member and said supporting plate so that said supporting plate is adjustable relative to said pin means without disturbing the relationship between said projections and said pin means.

8. ln a timer having rotatable switch control means, a disc rotatable with said switch control means, a plurality of pin means mounted adjacent said disc for movement into and out of the path of rotation thereof and each corresponding to a starting point for said timer, and pin engaging means provided `on and rotatable with said disc; the combination with said pin means of a plurality of wires anchored ttor pivoting relative to said pin means and having an extension from their anchor points to and engaging said pin means, and means engaging each of said wires at a point spaced `from the anchor point for moving said wires to a position in which the wire is stressed to bias said pin means into the rotational path of said pin engaging means for engagement therewith.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein each of said wires are of uniform diameter throughout substantially its entire extension and wherein the diameter of said wires increase as the distance between respective ones of said anchor points and said pin means increases.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said pin engaging means are angularly and radially spaced about an axis on said disc, said pin means are aligned transversely of said axis and said selectively movable means are aligned generally parallel to said pin means.

11. The combination of claim 8 wherein said disc is mounted for axial movement to energize said timer when one of said starting points is located and to free said disc from said pin means for rotation with said switch control means during an operation program, and including means for displacing said disc axially to return said disc, prior to a subsequent operational program, to a position for engagement between said pin engaging means and said pin means.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said means for displacing said disc comprises tirst axial projections on said disc and second axial projections fixed relative to said pin means and positioned for engagement by said rst axial projections to eect said axial movement of said disc.

13. The combination of claim 12 including a switch supporting plate and means adjustably mounting said switch supporting plate for movement relative to said pin means, and wherein said second axial projections are provided on a member mounted in xed relation relative to said pin means and connected to said switch supporting plate through a lost motion connection so that said supporting plate is adjustable relative to said pin means without disturbing the relative positioning of said second axial projections with said pin means.

14. The combination of claim 8 wherein said means for moving said wires comprises an independently movable operator for each of said wires, two adjacent operators are gang connected for simultaneous actuation, and locking means releasably engaging one of the pin means connected to said gang connected operators for locking said one pin means against movement.

15. In a timer having movable switch control mechanism, a member movable with said switch control mechanism, a plurality of pin means mounted adjacent said movable mem-ber for movement transversely of the path of movement thereof and each corresponding to a starting point for said timer, and means provided on and movable With said movable member for engaging said pin means; the combination with said pin means of, independently operable actuating means for moving each of said pin means, at least a pair of adjacent ones of said actuating means interconnected for simultaneous movement, and locking means releasably engaging at least one of the pin means connected to said interconnected actuating means for locking said one pin means against movement.

16. In a timer having movable switch control mechanism, a member movable with said switch control mechanism, a plurality of pin means mounted adjacent said movable member for movement transversely of the path of movement thereof and each corresponding to a starting point for said timer, and means provided on and movable with said movable member for engaging said pin means; the `com'bination with said pin means of, a plurality of wires each pivoted on a xed pivot relative to said pin means and extending to and engaging one of said pin means, and means engaging each of said wires `at a point spaced from its pivot and mounted for moving each wire about its pivot to a position in which the wire is stressed to Ibias said pin means into the path of said pin engaging means for engagement therewith.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS MILTON KAUFMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A TIMER HAVING MOVABLE SWITCH CONTROL MECHANISM AND A PLURALITY OF PIN MEANS MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF AN OPERATIVE POSITION FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SWITCH CONTROL MECHANISM TO HOLD SAID SWITCH CONTROL MECHANISM AGAINST MOVEMENT AND ESTABLISH STARTING POINTS FOR SAID TIMER; THE COMBINATION WITH SAID PIN MEANS OF, SELECTOR MECHANISM FOR MOVING SAID PINS MEANS INTO AND OUT OF SAID OPERATIVE POSITION AND COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF WIRE MEMBERS PIVOTED AT ONE POINT RELATIVE TO SAID PIN MEANS 